A Fool's Paradise Part 14

PHIL. (_rises_) Poor Tom! He's only a boy, but he's a gentleman!

(_goes to fire, L., and leans on mantle_)

_Re-enter BEATRICE, L.D., pouring medicine out of a medicine bottle into a medicine gla.s.s, in which she has already put the poison. She comes down C. to R. of table._

BEA. Here it is, Philip. (_hands gla.s.s to him_)

PHIL. Oh dear me, how tired I am of the horrid stuff! (_takes gla.s.s, and sits wearily L. of table_) Surely you have given me too much?

BEA. No--just the right measure. See! (_between table and sofa, holding up bottle_)

PHIL. How many doses are there left?

BEA. (_with bottle_) Only three more. (_puts bottle on R. of table, and goes round behind to back of PHILIP_) Now, drink it up without thinking about it; and if, like a good boy, you don't leave a drop, you shall have a kiss afterwards, to take the taste away.

PHIL. Well, I suppose I must. (_raises gla.s.s to his lips--about to drink, BEATRICE watches him eagerly_)

_Enter JOHNSON, R.U.D., quickly._

JOHN. (_up R.C._) Oh, if you please'm! (_pants_)

(_PHILIP puts gla.s.s down on L. side of table_)

BEA. (_annoyed_) What's the matter, Johnson? (_moves a little towards JOHNSON_)

JOHN. Miss Mildred---- (_out of breath_)

PHIL. What of Miss Mildred?

JOHN. She is in hysterics.

PHIL. Mildred ill! (_rises and goes quickly across R. Exeunt JOHNSON and PHILIP R.U.D._)

BEA. (_follows across to R.C. up stage_) Never mind Mildred! Philip dear! (_stamps her foot_) Only another second and---- (_moves down C.

looking at gla.s.s_)

PHIL. (_off_) Beatrice!

_Re-enter TOM breathless, R._

TOM. Oh, Mrs. Selwyn, please do come to Mildred! She's in a fit, or something. (_R. of BEATRICE_)

BEA. Nonsense!

TOM. Do come, please! (_pa.s.ses behind to L. of her_) The shock has been too much for her.

_Re-enter PHILIP quickly._

PHIL. Beatrice! Quick! (_TOM has her L. hand, PHILIP her right; they force her to the door between them; as BEATRICE exits she looks back at gla.s.s on table_)

BEA. In a moment! (_glancing at gla.s.s_)

TOM. Come along!

PHIL. Beatrice! do come! (_exeunt R. upper door. The door shuts with a bang. Music in orchestra_)

_SIR PETER appears in the conservatory, and enters from R._

SIR P. n.o.body here. Perhaps he's lying down. (_taps at door, L._) n.o.body there. They've gone downstairs. (_comes down to C. pa.s.sing behind sofa_) He must be better, then. (_music stops, pause, lost in thought_) Peter, my boy, if anyone had told you, you could study a case as you have studied this, for a week, and not be able to make head or tail of it, you would have kicked--pulled his nose for him.

(_goes to R. of table._) What _is_ the matter with this man? Of course it _might_ be--but that's out of the question. (_sits on sofa_) Ah, there's his medicine. What did he say? He always felt worse after taking it. I don't know why he should. Only a tonic, with a nasty flavour. People like nasty medicine. Think it does 'em good. (_rises, tastes it_) Well--_it is_ nasty. (_starts slightly as he tastes it on his tongue--lifts gla.s.s to light, examines it, then smells it, smells it again, tastes again cautiously by his finger, sets the gla.s.s down, and stands looking at it_) Nothing's out of the question! I ought to have known it. (_pours dose into the goblet, smells and tastes the bottle_) That's all right. (_music in orchestra. Pours out another dose into the gla.s.s, which he replaces exactly where he found it, recorks the bottle and exit slowly with goblet through conservatory, R., pausing in C. a moment to examine medicine._)

_Re-enter BEATRICE, R., quickly, sees the medicine, stops short and resumes her wonted manner; down C. Re-enter PHILIP, R.; music stops._

PHIL. She's better now; but I was rather alarmed. (_down to C._)

BEA. Poor child! (_goes to fire L._)

PHIL. She'll soon get over it. Only a girlish fancy. Where did I put that medicine? (_looking about_)

BEA. Here it is, dear. (_gives him the gla.s.s--advancing to him_)

PHIL. (_grimacing_) You can't think how I hate it.

BEA. Don't be so absurd. I declare, you're as great a baby as _she_ is. (_backs up stage, watching him_)

PHIL. One--two--three! (_drinks it off. BEATRICE gives a sigh of satisfaction_) Ugh! Give me some water. (_goes to piano and puts gla.s.s down_)

BEA. (_pa.s.ses behind table down to L. of it_) Why, the tumbler is gone! Who can have taken it? (_looking about_)

PHIL. Johnson, I daresay. (_sits R. by piano_) All right; I'm better now. That's one dose less to take. (_Re-enter SIR PETER through conservatory, with the goblet empty_) Three more, I think you said.

BEA. (_holds up bottle_) But there are only _two!_ (_alarmed_) Someone's been here!

SIR P. Yes, _I_ have. (_comes down C. to R. of sofa_)

BEA. (_terrified_) _You!_

SIR P. Your husband complained of his medicine. I thought I'd test it; so I took a dose.

BEA. (_dismayed_) _You_ took it? (_puts bottle on table_)

SIR P. Yes. (_looking at her_)

PHIL. A doctor take a dose of his own medicine!

SIR P. Only to my room. (_advances to R. of table_) Allow me to return you the gla.s.s. (_gives goblet to BEATRICE_)

PHIL. And you have tested it?

SIR P. Yes.